Forum Research found a downtown subway was a more pressing priority for residents than a Scarborough subway or a train to the airport.

The TTC backed a winner on Wednesday when it approved making the downtown relief line a transit priority, according to a new poll by Forum Research.

Sixty-one per cent of respondents agreed that a downtown subway, running from around Pape Station down along King St. to University Ave., was “a more pressing need for transit in Toronto” than a Scarborough subway.

The DRL was also more popular than a high-speed rail link to the airport, which is already being built. Asked which should be built first, half of respondents chose the DRL, compared with 42 per cent who favored the airport rail link.

Even in Scarborough, a third of respondents favoured the DRL over a Scarborough subway.

“A lot of them go downtown. That’s where the volume is,” said Forum Research president Lorne Bozinoff.

Although he said the air-rail train will be popular, the downtown relief line, which would take some of the crush off the Yonge subway and Bloor-Yonge station, “is a really, really popular transportation option.”

“Subway riders really have a good feel for what’s going on,” he said.

Poll respondents were split on whether they agreed with the city charging a fee or tax to pay for transit. Forty-four per cent agreed and 46 per cent disagreed. Ten per cent didn’t know.

The highest support for taxes, 53 per cent, was in Toronto and East York. Only 35 per cent of Scarborough respondents agreed with them.

The interactive voice response phone survey of 614 Toronto residents was conducted on Thursday. It is considered accurate plus or minus 4 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

Fifty-nine per cent of respondents approved of cellphone service on the subway, and 76 per cent agreed that the entire region should contribute to expanding Toronto transit.

Metrolinx agreement to be revised

The master agreement governing the construction and control of four Toronto LRTs will be revised before next week’s Toronto City Council meeting, after some councillors expressed concern over the agreement.

New language is being added to clarify the process Metrolinx must follow if it wants to deviate from the plan to build 26 stops on Eglinton spaced about 800 metres apart, said TTC chair Karen Stintz, who met with city and Metrolinx officials Friday.

Councillor Joe Mihevc, a former TTC commissioner, said his concerns have been addressed.

If the stops and stations change, Metrolinx has to apply for an amendment to the environmental assessment that has already been approved. That takes about six months and requires extensive community consultation.

“There's been so much public input and community engagement. That can't be lost," Mihevc said.

The LRTs on Eglinton, Finch, Sheppard and the Scarborough RT are being built with $8.4 billion in provincial funding.

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